Soluble Fiber/Non Soluble Fiber

Could it be any more confusing? I was always told that corn had no nutritional value, it's a starch but it apparently it's a source of fiber. Peas are also a starch but again a source of fiber. Whole grains seem to contain vast amounts of carbohydrates-again not a good thing. Some fruits contain fiber but soluble/non-soluble? So…is there an easier way to get the fiber needed without actually having to weigh the fiberous foods? This is something very important the nutritionist I spoke with about 6 months ago when she told me I needed to incorporate carbohydrates back into my diet (I was doing so well by eating basically all veggies (except corn and peas) and protein. Now I have had tons of problems with the yoyo bg readings and it's wreaking havoc on my body! I tried to research fiber foods but keep getting redirected to another site that is supposed to have the info I'm really looking for…:(

11 replies

Eureka! I have found a way to add more whole grain and fiber to my diet and keep check on my carbs :). I found a cereal by Shredded Wheat made with whole grains and fiber-NO sugar, NO high fructose corn syrup. Yes I do have to be careful of the carbs however the benefits outway any downside :).

It can be very frustrating - the carbohydrate/fibre issue. I agree with Nick1962. Adding fibre as his suggestion is sometimes the only way to get things moving. As much as I appreciate and respect the time, energy and cost of those who study to become dietitans it seems that they have an inordinate desire to promote grains and grain products. Numerous times I've read, on other sites, that people with diabetes who have consulted dietitians have developed worse BG readings. Bottom line for them was to stay away from such advice as it was harmful to them. I am of the firm opinion that the dietitians/nutritionists really are trying to do the best for us. Unfortunately it just doesn't seem to work very well for many people.

It occurs to me that if you were doing well on the diet that you had developed for yourself why not go back to it. Nothing is carved in stone. There is no one diet that works for all people. It's not the one size fits all situation for people with diabetes. Trust yourself and how you have been handling your diet and BG numbers.

thanks Lentyl, sound advice :). I did decide yesterday to go back to what was working for me to keep my numbers under control, my A1c was 5.9 my average readings were about 130-which considering what they had been before that upwards of 300 was fantastic and I was feeling so much better :). I also didn't feel so hungry or starving. And with adding the carbs it got way out of control :(, thinking well I could sneak one of these or have just a little some of that…yeah, doesn't work so well for me LOL, I'm seriously afraid of what my A1c will be at my next blood draw.

As much as I’m against using supplements, sometimes it is necessary because what we eat (or don’t) simply isn’t enough, especially when we reach a certain age. Benefiber, Metamucil, Fiberchoice, or even store brands are pretty effective as long as you watch the sugar content.It’s darn hard to get regular, varied fiber on a low carb diet, especially if you wrestle with things like IBS or other digestive issues.

I think it's Metamucil that makes a sugar free one which I tried many years ago at the suggestion of my Dr. as I was suffering from IBS. It didn't go so well, the grittiness was too much. No matter what I did I couldn't get the powder to dissolve well enough to be able to drink it. As far as taking suppliment pills…there are two things that stand in the way of that, I live on a fixed income so the cost alone is not an option and there's the fact that I take so many pills everyday already :(. Does someone make a multigrain supplement? LOL

That is a tough one. If you can't get what you need through foods as Jeanette suggests, which is ideal, Citrucel makes a caplet that's fairly cheap. Of course learning to like beans would be cheaper (and higher in protein).If you have insurance, your doctor may prescribe a fiber pill which insurance might pick up. Just a thought.

Fortunately I do have insurance, I think I'll ask my pharmicist if she knows if anything like that is covered, of course I realize that each insurance co is different in what they cover but if I ask her first then call my insur co I may be able to avoid getting the rx and getting surprised at the pharmacy with a resounding no as to coverage from the insur co, LOL. That has happened a lot, one time I was given an rx for a liquid to drink prior to a colonoscopy-I was picking up quite a few refills so didn't know it was the one single item that I was being charged $25 for! Another time I was picking up a rx for something I have been taking for years and was hit with $200 cost, every year my dr has to go through pre-authorization for a few of my rx's. Which is ridiculous since I have been taking the same things for years but the insur co's formulary changes every year and some are covered and others need a pre-authorization and I have had the same inusr co for the last 4-5 yrs :(, it changes all the time.